Carmelo Anthony made his name in the basketball world by being a bucket machine. While the NBA was stacked with stars, he still found a way to shine with that effortless scoring touch. Every night felt like a reminder that Melo could cook anyone who tried to guard him.
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What’s even crazier is that the Knicks and Nuggets legend did this during the era of LeBron James dominating headlines as the face of the sport. But Melo held his own. He kept stacking All-Star appearances and big moments. In an era with some of the most prolific ballers of all time, he made sure people remembered his name.
This was the topic of conversation during the 41-year-old’s latest edition of his 7PM In Brooklyn podcast. Guest Bill Bellamy spoke about when he first heard about the Syracuse Orangeman coming into the league. Bellamy knew the hype was real because the internet had not exploded across the world yet, but he still heard Anthony’s name being tossed around.
“Back then, we didn’t have internet, so you was getting whispers,” said the famed actor and comedian. “It was like, ‘Yo there’s this cat Carmelo Anthony going to the league immediately.’ That’s how they were talking about you in the barber shop.”
Anthony came into the league after helping lead Syracuse to the National Championship in 2003. He then helped turn the Nuggets into one of the most competitive teams in the West during his tenure there. Even better, he got to ball alongside Allen Iverson, which Bellamy remembered specifically because of their similarities.
“They got AI. It was so funny, at one time, it looked like AI was a little Melo. They look like big and small,” he said, which got a big laugh out of Melo and co-host Kazeem Famuyide.
It was a short-lived duo, unfortunately. AI would get traded to the Pistons in 2008, leaving Melo on his own. He would then further his legacy as a member of the Knicks after leaving for the Madison Square Garden in 2011.
Bellamy praised Anthony for being such a standout in the the era of The King. “To me,” he began. “I’ve always admired Carmelo’s talent and how he was able to navigate in the LeBron era. Because at that time all that stuff was LeBron LeBron LeBron. But Carmelo always made sure he stood out and I always thought that was dope. And I always admired his game.”
Bellamy’s words underscored what everyone already knew. Melo thrived in an era when it felt like James was breaking records every other week. James began his career in Cleveland before moving to Miami in 2010, where he won two championships. He won two further rings — one with the Cavaliers and then one with the Lakers. That was something always missing from Melo’s résumé.
Still, Anthony always found a way to stay relevant and in the limelight. When Anthony retired in 2023, he walked away as the league’s 10th-highest scorer of all time.
